Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Thankful? You Betcha!

Thought for the day:  In all things, give thanks.  [I Thessalonians 5:18]

And thank you for the cat...
Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Another year in which my major role was to relax, enjoy myself... and play with the grandchildren. (A role I play very well, if I must say so myself.)

Life is good, and I am thankful.

It's sometimes a challenge to be thankful in all things, though, isn't it? Unless you're as courageous as Corrie Ten Boom, the amazing woman I wrote about in last year's post. While imprisoned in a concentration camp, she was humbly thankful for an infestation of fleas. Can you imagine?

As always, we had a lot of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, and thankfully, not having an infestation of fleas is one of them.





This is our son and his younguns. Aaron's in the back; (wearing an "AWESOME" shirt... which he IS) Jaiden is the 100-watt grinner sporting that stylish off-the-shoulder look; Kymber is the cutie with the super sweet smile; and Devyn is the adorable one-year-old. What's especially nice about this picture is... no one is barfing.

Uh, yeah, no fleas, but a felonious belly bug did  infiltrate our festivities. (We did our darnedest to ignore it, though.)




Kymmie on the backyard playset: "I see you!"





Aaron says, "Me, too!"


It's still hard to believe I was in the delivery room when Devyn made her grand entrance into the world.. and that it's already been more than a year ago.



"Grandma!! Why did you stop pushing us?"


Aaron's petting one of their bunnies. Remember when I told you about them getting the rabbits last year? They got four initially, then got two more. Since then, the other short-haired rabbit ran away, but they still have this black-and-white short-hair, two lion-faced bunnies, and two lops. Amazingly, no babies yet! Can you believe it? However, I observed the lops, um, shall we say ... honeymooning ... quite frequently and enthusiastically while we were there, so that situation may very well be changing in the near future.

Our daughter-in-law made turkey hats for the kids, but this is the only picture I got of one being worn. Jaiden was more into wearing the hat he got at Disney world this summer.



We spotted a lizard in the back yard, which launched the kids into some energetic high-pitched squealing like you wouldn't believe. But I caught him, and let them get a close-up, more relaxed look at him. They even got to see him change color. Cool! And Kymmie, who our son swears is afraid of grass, even held the little guy for a couple minutes. Then we sang a heartfelt rendition of Born Free and let him go. (Okay, okay, so technically, I was the only one singing... picky, picky, picky.)

It was a wonderful visit. The girls did a lot of barfing the day before we got there, but all the kids were mostly okay while we were there. A little more lethargic than usual. More cuddly than usual. More curl up on Grandma's lap and go to sleep than usual.

Then Aaron and our son got sick. And we left. And I got sick.

But ya know what? I'm thankful. What could be better than seeing the looks on their little faces, and hearing those squeals of excitement when they came running out the door to greet me? What could be better than feeling those precious arms around my neck? Than having them squabble over who was gonna sit next to me, and over whose turn it was to sit on my lap? Oh, yes, I'm thankful. Being with them was worth every miserable moment I spent shivering under an afghan after we got home.

Besides, I really needed to lose a few pounds.

Hey, wanta see a really cool adrenaline-pumping video with some gorgeous scenery? (Thanks to my brother Ron for sending it to me.) It's more than enough to sit in the comfort of our own homes and enjoy these thrills vicariously. Seeing such amazing feats is enough to make ya ... thankful.


                                     Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

40 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear that you got sick after your Thanksgiving excursion, but all in all it sounds like you had a wonderful time. The photos are delightful.
    I know lots of grandparents, and it seems like they all enjoy their grandchildren even more than they did their children (I think we appreciate things a lot more as we grow older -- not that we're OLD, of course......)

    The video is great, but I'm merely an armchair adventurer.

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    1. I don't think the enjoyment of grandkids has anything to do with an age-related appreciation. Parents enjoy their children, too, but they also bear all the nitty-gritty everyday responsibilities of raising them. But grandparents? We get to have all the fun, without all the responsibilities. (It's our reward for not killing our own kids when they were teenagers. HA!)

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  2. Your graqndkiddies are adorable. I love the turkey hat!
    Yuk on the tummy bug though. I hope everyone is well over it by now.

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    1. Thanks. I think the kids are cuddle-icious, but I'm a teensy bit biased.

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  3. I'm glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving visit in spite of the stomach flu. That happened to us one year while my sister's family was visiting from Kansas. Eight people, lots of puking, lot of laundry, and one visit to the emergency room. If you got off without that, then that's another thing to be thankful for!

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    1. UGH! No, no trips to the emergency room, thank goodness. And we weren't all sick at the same time, either. Your Holiday experience "tops" ours, big-time. You... uh... win?

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  4. It seems to be International Bug Season. My turn soon, no doubt!

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    1. Nah, have a glass of wine and keep those nasty bugs at bay.

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  5. Beautiful kids. Beautiful Thanksgiving. But I'm really curious about the lizard... in Atlanta? A little out of the Anole's range. Global Warming is indeed here.

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    1. Thanks. No, the lizard wasn't in Atlanta. Our son lives in Phenix City, AL, so a little farther south. (So that's what he was called, huh? An anole. Cute little bugger. He was totally relaxed in my hand, and then he changed color on me, so I thought he might've even been someone's escaped pet chameleon.)

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    2. Even Phoenix City is a little north but at least it's in the Coastal Plain. I lived in the LaGrange area for tens years and know the area well. Did you see the whitewater course they're making from the old mill dam?

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    3. No, we didn't. We'll have to check it out the next time we go down that-a-way. (As soon as I figure out where the old mill dam is. HA!) We've been to the Infantry Museum and the Civil War Naval Museum in that area, though, and I'd kinda like to go back to them.

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  6. Those stomach bugs always seem to spread like wildfire in families. We had one started by me during the Christmas holidays a few years ago. It was more than unpleasant. However, what to be thankful for is that it only lasts for a day or so and it does lower the number on the scale.

    Your grandchildren are such cuties and your son is quite handsome. I could feel the pride and love you have for them in all your words. You are blessed and you know it.

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    1. I felt so bad for our DIL. This was the first time the kids got a stomach bug like that, so she'd never had to deal with it before, and was a little overwhelmed. (But handled it like the trooper she is.) Yes, I really am blessed. (And I'm quite delighted with the lower number on that ol' lying bathroom scale.)

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  7. Glad you are on the mend now. Seems like everytime we are around the grands one of us gets sick. Kids are germy little monkeys.

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    1. Yes, they are, indeed, germy little monkeys. And snot factories. (But, ain't they great???)

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  8. Looks like you have a beautiful family and a lot to be thankful for! I wish you a speedy recovery from the stomach bug!

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    1. Thanks. I'm definitely on the mend now, so I reckon it's time for me to start looking busy.

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  9. We spotted a lizard in the back yard, which launched the kids into some energetic high-pitched squealing like you would't believe.

    LOL!!!! I remember when my daughter saw her first lizard and ran away scared. A few months later after she learned to catch them it was the small reptiles running away in utter fear.

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    1. I know whatcha mean. Once the kids got acquainted with the little guy, they wanted to keep him. Woe to the next one who wanders into their yard.

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  10. Great pics of happy kids! As a grandparent myself, I know they're not easy to capture and photograph.

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    1. Thanks. Most of the time, our little ones like to have their pictures taken. It's the teenagers who are harder to catch. When they ARE at home, it's "No, my hair's a mess!" or "Not until I change my clothes!" etc. etc.

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  11. Cute, cute grandkids :)
    Lizard? Eewww.

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  12. Born Free as in 'as free as the wind blows' ?! I haven't heard that song in forever.

    Sus, your grandbabies are soo beautiful! And what lyrical names: Jaiden in full Flashdance mode, Kymber, Devyn and the solid, traditional Aaron (meaning enlightened mountain of strength.)

    Also? Love the turkey hat.

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    1. Yep, that's the "Born Free." (I teach the kids some reeeeeally strange songs.) Yeah, our grandchildren do have some unusual names. You already "met" three of the girls from Florida... then there's also Chloe, Jordan, Jacob, Joshua, and Jackson. (And Chloe's middle name is Mercury.) Not a Mary or John in the bunch! (yet)

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  13. Family is definitely something to be grateful for.

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  14. What a great-looking bunch of grandkids! Sorry about everyone's stomach flu - if one gets it, everyone gets it. I never was sure if I wanted my kids to have it all at the same time (and get it over with in a few really painful days) or have them get it one at a time (and battle a somewhat manageable battle for almost two weeks).

    The video was exciting. None of those things are on my list...

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    1. Thanks. When our kids were little, it seemed like they usually got sick one at a time, one after the other. Which was fine with me. Bad enough trying to keep up with one sick pumpkin at a time. Glad ya watched the video. Exciting from afar. And sitting right here at my computer is plenty close enough for me.

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  15. Hi Susan,

    Oh no, sorry about all the sickness that followed up after such a Thanksgiving adventure. That truly is one adrenaline pumping video. Think I'm feeling a bit nauseous after that :)
    Me thinks your family outdo the Walton's. Goodnight Susan...

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    1. Oh, I'm glad ya watched the video. Totally adrenaline-pumping. (Can you imagine watching it on IMAX?)Goodnight, Gary-Boy.

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  16. What a beautiful family. Sorry about the sickness, but it's the time of year for festivities and puking.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Thank you, dear lady. Yep, 'tis the season, I reckon. (But I'd rather eat cookies.)

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  17. What beautiful babies. Lucky you. sorry for the stomach bug, but like you said, spending time with those kids was worth it.

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    1. Hey, Anne! Long time, no see! I hope all is well with you and your cutie. Thank you, and you're right. It was well worth it. Take care.

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  18. Hey Susan you are correct. Grandchildren are a great reward for putting up with your children. Me and the tipster are great-grandparents (well sure, we are wonderful and also great, but technically great too becuz grandson has a child)and we love it.
    Best wishes to you and the whole family.

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    1. Grandchildren are definitely the "flowers" of old age. I don't think I'm ready to think about great grandchildren yet, though. Our kids waited a bit later in life before they started having younguns, so the oldest grands are only in their early teens. They'd BETTER wait a good long time before they start multiplying! Best wishes to you and yours, too.

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  19. Hi Susan .. loved the prayer photo - that is most definitely precious!! Brilliant ..

    Delighted you had a fun time - despite a blip at the end .. lovely to read and see .. and a year on for the little on - time flieth ..

    Cheers Hilary

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  20. Hi-ya, Hilary. I think that picture is really cute, too. (And you're the only one who mentioned it!) And you're absolutely right about how time "flieth." The older I get, the faster it flies. Used to be an old bi-plane; now it's supersonic.

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